Liquefied gas dispensing system



Oct.24, 1939. L. J. WHITE 2,177,620

LIQUEFIED GAS DISPENSING SYSTEM- Filed Odt. 10, 1938 I Patented Oct. 2 4, 1939 PATENT mm IJQUEFIED GAS DISPENSING SYSTEM Loyd J. White, San'Antonio, Tex., assignor to Southern Steel Company, a corporation of Application October 10, 1938, Serial No. 234.25:

6 claimswwisz r) This-invention relates to liquefied gas dispensingsystems of the general type disclosed in Patents Reissue No. 20,624, No. 2,121,673 and No.-2,l2l,675, wherein liquefied petroleum gas is 5 stored in an underground tank and the generated gas is delivered through dispensing appurtenances, including a pressure reducing regulator, to a service pipe. This invention provides an expansion chamber associated with the service pipe and the tank through which low pressure gas passes into-the service pipe at its lowest ,*point.. The idea is'to insure a supply of gas at substantially constant pressure and to prevent accumulation of condensate in the service pipe i which will interfere with the free passage of the gas to the consuming appliances.

Other aims and advantages of the invention an underground storage tank In having a riser or standpipe II to whicl is connected a combination valved fitting l2 and from which gas is delivered through a pressure reducing regulator i3 having an outlet conduit ll for delivering low pressure gas to a service pipe, as will hereinafter be explained. These dispensing appurtenances,

having been fully described in the aforementioned patent, require no further explanation. The upper end portion of the standpipe and the dispensing appurtenances connected thereto are shown as'being housed within a cylindrical protecting casing I! which is shown as extending slightly above the ground level and it has a removable cover It to afford access to the filling and vapor return valves and all the parts within the casing. The bottom portion of the casing is removably mounted on top of a cylindrical expansion chamber iI having a top wall it presenting a marginal peripheral flange l9 to which brackets 20 in the casing are bolted. The expansion chamber has a bottom wall 2i above the tank and a skirt 22 below the bottom shaped to conform to the contour of the tank and preferably tack-welded thereto. This expansion chamber surrounds the riser or standpipe H and is shown as having a cylindrical sleeve 23 slightly larger than the standpipe welded to the top and bottom walls of the-chamber so that the chamber may he slipped over the standpipe after it is wel ed in place on the tank and before the fitting l2 s assembled. The outlet conduit II from the pressure reducing regulator i3 is shown as being welded into the top of the expansion chamber and a service I will 'always remain at a constant temperature and the condensate will immediately be revaporized. Furthermore, the expansion chamber will hold an appreciable quantity of low pressure gas delivered from the pressure reducing regu- 'lator, thereby insuring a continuous supply of gas at a substantially constant pressure. That is'to say, the gas delivered through the service pipe is not subject to pulsations in pressure which might interrupt the flow to the gas consuming app1iances.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the improved system is very simple in its design and construction. It can be manufactured at a relatively low cost and is easy to in stall. The parts are not subject to damage in shipment. Such systems do not require any revaporizing heat exchangers for the service pipe when installed in ordinary climates.

Obviously, the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment thereof herein shown and described. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all the features of the invention be used conjointly, since they may beem-- ployed advantageously in various combinations I and sub-combinations.

What is claimed is:

1. In a liquefied gas dispensing system, an underground storage tank; a standpipe connected to the tank; dispensing appurtenances including a pressure reducing regulator connected to the standpipe; an expansion chamber supported on the tank in heat exchanging relation with the tank and said standpipe and connected to receive gas delivered through said regulator; and a service pipe connected to said expansion chamber.

2. In a liquefied gas dispensing system, an underground storage tank; a standpipe connected to the tank; dispensing appurtenances including a pressure reducing regulator connected to the standpipe; a sheet metal expansion chamber mounted on the tank around said standpipe and connected to receive gas delivered through said regulator; and a service pipe connected at its lowest point to said expansion chamber above the bottom of the chamber.

3. In a liquefied gas dispensing system, an underground storage tank; a standpipe connected to the tank; dispensing appurtenances including a pressure reducing regulator connected to the standpipe; a substantially cylindrical expansion chamber having a bottom skirt portion secured to the top of the tank and having a sleeve surrounding the standpipe and in heat exchanging relation therewith; a conduit connecting the expansion chamber to the outlet of the pressure reducing regulator; and a service pipe connected to the expansion chamber.

4. In a liquefied gas dispensing system, an underground storage tank; a standpipe connected to the tank; dispensing appurtenances including a pressure reducing regulator connected to the standpipe; a substantially cylindrical expansion chamber having a bottom skirt portion secured to the top of the tank and having a sleeve surrounding the standpipe; a conduit connecting the expansion chamber to the outlet of the pressure est point to the bottom portion reducing regulator; aprotecting casing removably secured to and supported on the expansion chamber; and a service pipe connected at its lowof the expansion chamber.

5. In a liquefied gas dispensing system, an underground storage tank; a standpipe connected to the tank; dispensing appurtenances including a pressure reducing regulator connected to the standpipe; a substantially cylindrical expansion chamber having a bottom skirt portion secured to the top of the tank and having a sleeve surrounding the standpipe; a conduit connecting the expansion chamber to the outlet of the pressure reducing regulator; a marginal flange on the top of said expansion chamber; a protecting casing bolted at its lower portion to said flange; and a service pipe connectedat its lowest portion to the expansion chamber.

6. In a liquefied gas dispensing system of the character described, an underground storage tank; an upstanding gas dis'pensing conduit connected to the tank; dispensing appurtenances including a pressure reducing regulator connected to the standpipe; a metal expansion'rchamber supported on top of the tank in heat exchanging relation therewith and connected to receive gas delivered through said pressure reducing regulator; a protecting casing for said dispensing appurtenances supported on said expansion chamher; and a service pipe connected to said expansion chamber.

LOYD J. WHITE. 

